


REIGN: The Five Kingdoms

by Aizarashi



Series: REIGN [1]
Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, F/F, Fluff, GameOfThronesAU, Romance, Slow To Update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26321911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aizarashi/pseuds/Aizarashi
Summary: The eternal war of the Five Kingdoms seems to never draw to its end. Lives are lost, lands are conquered, and unimaginable suffering has become the new normal. Amongst the bloodshed and chaos, a group of elite knights known as the 'Starlight Gatherers' attempt to amend the relations of the Five Kingdoms, and put an end to this atrocious war.
Relationships: Aoba Moca/Mitake Ran, Hikawa Hina/Maruyama Aya, Ichigaya Arisa/Toyama Kasumi, Imai Lisa/Minato Yukina, Matsubara Kanon/Okusawa Misaki, Shirokane Rinko/Udagawa Ako, Udagawa Tomoe/Uehara Himari
Series: REIGN [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912609
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	1. Realistic Imagination

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Scarlet Dream](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24020761) by [thedailythoughtsoftsugumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedailythoughtsoftsugumi/pseuds/thedailythoughtsoftsugumi). 



* * *

_Where…. Am I…?_

_._

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There was no answer to the question. All she could hear was a low hum of a light. This hum would go past a human not already aware of its presence, like a fly zipping past the ear at amazingly high speeds. Yet… She could catch this soft hum, despite the odds.

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_All I can see is… A bright and glittering star… Its vibrant yellows piercing my gaze as it blinds all my other senses, priming my full self to it. I tried my very best to look away, fearing damage to my retinas. However… It was clearly met with no response by my body, as I continued to gaze longingly to the ever-benevolent presence of this star… . . . . Soon, the star begins to split ever so slightly in the middle, even brighter rays emerging from the tiny crack created by this unexpected and sudden event. . . . . Still, I continued my watch of the beautiful star, as if I was waiting. Waiting for… a certain event to happen. But I can’t recall what was it I wanted to happen… An explosion? A wish? A beam of light whisking me away to a place further than the universe, unexplored by even dream-surfers? It is… certainly an ever-encompassing mystery, isn’t it?_

_._

_._

_._

_._

After what seemed like eons passing, the star began to make the ever-so-slightest of movements, making what seemed to be a jerk downwards to earth. This movement in question was barely noticeable to the naked eye…

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_But I still caught it. In my concentration of this enigmatic star, I caught this light change in course. Initially, I was… quite taken aback. Was I… So oblivious to my surroundings that I caught this minuscule movement? It can’t be, right? I was trained to be a ferocious knight on the battlefield, slicing down opponents with the swiftness of a Swallow and the might of a Lion. To dance with the fires of the burning warzones I dedicate my life to. So why was it, that I poured all of my attention to this seemingly insignificant light in the everlasting sky?_

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Out of the blue, this glittering star started to expand in an odd manner, as if it was being torn apart from the inside by the force of a mighty giant. Vibrant yellowish-white light began to leak profusely through the newly created openings, spilling out onto the world. In particular, the girl’s purple eyes.

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_But I was curiously not afraid. Despite the clear risk I was in, I still continued to stare at the imploding star with the same longingness as before. Watching intently, as if every moment I spent watching the star was a lifeline for me. Life...line? Wasn’t my shield my lifeline?_

_._

_‘Hold your shield in front of you, and raise it up and carry it as if it was your **lifeline**.’_

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_I remember the senior knights drilling this into our heads quite vividly. They would take every opportunity they could to strike our unprotected heads with the butt of their swords whenever they felt like we were not raising our shields high enough. Back then, I thought it was quite a ridiculous practice. Why should we even use shields at all when my swordplay is already good enough to parry most strikes? That was my thought process back then. To swing, clash, and thrust my sword at the highest speed as I could and make sure the enemy would never have the chance to even think about counter-attacking me. But I was wrong… So wrong..._

_._

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_I once got into a confrontation with a knight from the Scarlet kingdom. She wore black-rigid armour with grooves at the shoulder pads and knees for what seemed to be taunting purposes. The knight also wore a round-top helm with a metallic beak-like face covering, with vents to provide a path of vision. Strapped onto the knight’s belt was the sheath for a longsword. This sheath was created from what seemed at the time to be brown leather, likely coming from the mountains of livestock they have. The sword it carried had a dark-grey blade, reaching around one and a half metres in length. The sword’s tip shined under the basking glow of the sun, reflecting rays of pure white light like a polished and refined mirror. The handle of the sword was also crafted with mastery and perfection. A single large strip of leather that was wrapped around the metal grip, providing friction so that the sword would not fall from the knight’s grasp._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_Overall, you could say that I was quite intimidated by the knight from appearance alone. The sleek look of her armour and sharpness of her blade made me take more than a few cautious steps backward. Behind my helm, my face was riddled with fright, teeth chattering and eyes shivering with terror within. Thankfully, my helmet prevented any sight of my heretical behaviour. What could not be hidden were my shaking hands. My steel gauntlets clattered at its tips, as my terrified form began to seep out of the cracks. And the knight could tell… She could tell that I was succumbing. From my lack of stance to my hesitancy to draw my sword to defend myself. And I could hear… The knight gave out a small snicker._

_._

_“Tch, If you’re so afraid of a simple fight, Im better off not wasting my time on you.”_

_._

_Her words were filled with venomous intentions, like an instructor scolding their cadets that were too incompetent, that they should give up on what they strived and toiled so hard for. I admit it did work on me, as I began to eye my surroundings frantically for an escape route. Left, right, I think I covered every direction that I found. But… It was fruitless. The only way I found was to force through this knight with brute force like I was trained to._

_._

_“Hoshi as it already fails at every turn, so it wouldn’t really be a loss to lose a whelp of a knight like YOU!!!”_

_._

_The Scarlet knight roared thunderously at me, giving a force equivalent to a dragon priming their prey to kneel in fear. At that moment, all I could do was cower in this fear, enshrouding myself in a bubble of regrets as I accept the worst…_

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“OIIIII!!!! Don’t go out on us now Kasumiiiiii!!!!!” 

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_Who… Was that… Calling out to me? This voice… It snapped me out of my recollection, back into this… dreamscape of sorts. I blinked once, then twice, then felt a burning sensation engulfing the bottom of my body. This sensation was quite peculiar, as I did not feel any heat radiating from anywhere. So I snapped my head left and right, attempting to find the source of this burning before I succumb to it-_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_Which was when I realised… The heads of all of my friends and companions… surrounding me. Their heads looked freshly chopped off, with blood still oozing out of the bottom of their heads, like stubs protruding out. What was even more terrifying was… They were all… Looking at me. Their mouths were sealed shut, but their eyes were tracking me. Adjusting their ungodly gaze at me every time I made the slightest of movements._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_All I could do was…_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_Scream…_

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**“Wake up, our prophet…”**

* * *


	2. Inability To Become

* * *

"Just how long is one gonna be...?"  
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Arisa ponders her vocalised thought, as she sat herself down next to the slumbering knight. Arisa attempted to shoo away her redundant thought by observing her surroundings, maybe there was something of interest to be found?  
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_Nothing at all... I guess... The inside of the tent is dark green? There was quite a considerable distance from my position and the tent's door, about five metres in length. The flooring was unfortunately still light-greenish grass and dirt so brown that it could be mistaken for feces. It didn't help that we hastily constructed this tent to take shelter from the drenching thunderstorms that plagued the outskirts of Scarlet. Thank heavens Saaya and Rimi were quick on their feet, I don't even want to begin to imagine how drenched we would all be if they didn't plop down these tents fast enough._

_._

_._

_._

_._

As Arisa continued to observe her still surroundings, she unconsciously started to tap her metal-wrapped fingers on her knees, creating an odd sort of echo-like sound that reverberated throughout the tiny tent.   
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 _Hmmm... This straw seat is... actually quite comfortable, now that I take the time to absorb it all in. The dried hay looked like dusty gold strips, reflecting what little light shined through the single long crack from the two-folded door of the tent. Its... Quite a humbling experience, if I do say myself. People always assume us knights were born into nobility, and have some of the most pampered and privileged lives ever. And to an extent, they are pretty right, regrettably. A large part of Hoshi's knights **are** from noble families, most of these knights **are** living luxurious lives which are a far cry from the grueling lives that the peasantry wakes up to every single day. And being a knight of Hoshi myself, shame engulfs me every time I hear one of these comments. Do us, knights, really give off such a horrendous feeling? All of us toiled through years of training beginning at our adolescence, forced by our parents to fight for some artificial reason that we did not grasp nor understand at that time?   
_.

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Clicking her tongue, Arisa then realised her anger and spite building within her. Knowing this, she sighed out a heavy breath, shutting her eyes as she attempted to clear her clouded mind. Taking a few seconds to absorb the situation, she then slowly turned her head down to look at the figure resting below her.  
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_Kasumi Toyama. She... really should not have been sent to the knight's academy. She's a coward, despite going through the same training as we did and **then** the additional training to become an officer. From what I've heard from my compatriots, the training that the officer course was ungodly-difficult. There was a rumour circulating around the academy that they would waterboard trainees as a type of endurance training. Absolutely... Disgusting... To this day, even after experiencing the battlefield, I really do not understand why they do this. How do the High Commanders even justify such... such 'training'!?!?   
._

_._

_._

_._

Arisa then gritted her teeth in frustration. Frustration at the horrible and inhuman conditions of the world she was born into. She then asked herself why, why did whatever god that existed do this to her, heck, to **everyone**? Arisa couldn't understand at all, and she was prepared to give up on trying.

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But before she could act on her emotions, Arisa heard the faint sound of hooves hitting the muddy ground. She perked herself up, eyes widening in shock and curiosity. Which sane person would choose to ride a horse during a cold and dangerous thunderstorm? Yet another thing Arisa could add to the list of things she could not understand. But Arisa understood this, she was in the Scarlet outskirts, and the sound of galloping reverberating throughout the area can only mean trouble.  
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**Patrols.**

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Gulping in her nerves, Arisa stood up, using the long handle of her weapon to support her. She rubbed the white leather-like tape wrapped around the handle, noticing that the tape has been peeling off gradually with black marks of dirt from her stained gauntlets. 

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_I'll... Clean you later, alright? For now, just cooperate with me if you would?_

_._

_._

_._

_._

After her one-sided conversation with her weapon, Arisa knelt down next to the slumbering Kasumi, using her free hand to rub the sleeping beauty's cheeks.

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"I'll be back soon enough Kasumi, don't worry. I Made an oath to protect you, after all."

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Somehow, this one sentence plastered a short grin on Arisa's face, warming her heart up through the cold downpour of Scarlet's rain. Choosing not to linger for too long, Arisa straightened herself up once again and paced towards the door, with a mix of determination and caution laced within her mind. Peeling the folds of the tent, Arisa took a peek behind the door to find...

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A group of around four to six mounted soldiers. The darkness that coated her view due to the rain made the mounted soldiers looked more like shadowy and oily figures from the underworld, galloping through the enshrouded air. As they rapidly approached her position, Arisa was able to notice the finer details of their armour. The signature black-rigid armour with grooved shoulder pads and a pointed helm to boot. In addition, Arisa also noticed a crimson-red plume on each of the knight's foreheads. The plumes flapped and danced in the winds of speed, making Arisa almost jealous of the freedom they had compared to herself. From what she had learned back at the academy, the plumes signified the knight as a member of a cavalry regiment. She then switched her attention to the weapons that were visible. The riders all carried a sleek grey lance, with grooves wrapping itself around the lance to make it look like a drill. The lance tips reflected off each other's lights, making the riders look nearly noble-like.   
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_This is bad... Really bad... Sure, my naginata should be able to range them and eliminate these foes at a distance, but the sheer number of them would definitely overwhelm me. Well, I can only hope for the best..._

_._

"Saaya!!! Rimi!!! Tae!!! We've got incoming!!!"

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Closer, closer, closer the riders approached. And as they did, Arisa focused her gaze right back at them, hoping for some sort of divine intervention of sorts to fend off these foes. And as the distance was thinning by the second, Arisa primed her weapon up and took up an offensive stance, with the tip of her blade pointed slightly above her head and far enough to reach the estimated position of the riders in her head. She then counted down the remaining time she had to prepare herself for the confrontation. Or... Her death... If she screws up... 

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_Three..._

_._

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_Two..._

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_One..._

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**"SEIZE THOSE VILELANDERS!!!!"**

* * *


	3. Encounter, And Counter

* * *

**"SEIZE THOSE VILELANDERS!!!"**

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Ran bellowed using the timber of her voice, creating a battle cry to motivate her soldiers into combat. She gritted her teeth, concentrating her mind on forming a strategy to combat the 'vilelanders', as she called them, while simultaneously guiding her horse in a straight direction without faltering. 

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_From what I can see at this distance, there's one of them at the forefront, with some sort of spear in hand. That spear... It looks odd. The spear had a curved tip, looking like the eastern katana that I was introduced to awhile ago. Yet...the handle was about a metre long and wrapped in dainty white tape. But what stood out to me was the purplish-pink triangular gem plastered at the bottom of the spear's blade. The gem in question reflected what little light shone from the blocked sun, consequentially giving off the knight's position and eliminating any chance of a successful surprise attack. What... Idiotic design... Which self-entitled blacksmith would create such a weapon? Clearly whoever designed this was on more than a few bottles of booze._

_._

"Yahagi. Hana. Both of you retreat to the gates. We need someone to inform them regarding the catch we just made."

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Ran tilted her head to her right to communicate to her troop, instructing the last two in the formation to return to the city gates. The two riders proceeded to nod in acknowledgment, tugging on the reins connecting themselves to the horse and redirecting their mounts in the opposite direction. Ran in response, took a glance at her departing soldiers, before humming to herself subtly to reassure to herself that they would be safe. Ran then swiftly pivoted her head back towards the vilelanders, noticing three more had emerged from an adjacent tent.

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_There were three more of them. One carried a mace while the other two carried a sword and shield. The mace carrier was rather short in stature, likely shorter than me. Her hair was short, a little frilly as it reached her neck and cut off from there. Her armour was fashioned in a traditional Hoshi-style: full-body wrapped steel with a palanquin flowing downwards from the chest and waist. Usually, the palanquin should contain their unit's insignia, they usually paint it in white paint so..._

_._

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Ran squinted at the petite warrior in the distance, attempting to see through the vents of her helmet, to find...

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_A Five-pointed star with a comet shooting past it. The comet had it's tail on the right, with the main body of it traveling past the opposite side. No doubt, these are members of the 'Starlight Gatherers'. A group of Hoshi's elite knights. Well, I'd rather call them an Order rather than a unit. According to Hoshi's traditions, the gatherers may only have up to five members at a time. No more, no less. It would be quite blasphemous for them to break this age-old tradition, so Hoshi's military would stick to it. So... I've identified this knight as a Gatherer, so the other three would likely be..._

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Ran panned her view to observe the other three knights, all spread out in a defensive formation. The spear-wielder was in front, pointing the tip of her blade at Ran and her compatriots. The mace-wielder stood next to her, weapon tilted slightly downwards to aim for the horse's legs. Meanwhile, the sword-wielding duo back-stepped to create a short distance between them and the other two, priming their swords upwards and holding their shields right next to their swords. 

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_Those two knights... they were varying in height. The tall one had long sleek black hair, flowing down to her stomach. In addition to the standard Hoshi-style armour she had equipped, her palanquin was also coloured differently. That mace girl's palanquin was light pink, while this one was a deep ocean-blue. What piqued my curiosity was the imprinting on her shield. Of course, her shield was made from wood and a metallic rim, with the shape of a round-topped kite and pointy bottom. But... there was a white rabbit painted on the face of her shield. This rabbit was painted with quite the attention to detail, with a change of colour to represent the fur and flesh, even a pitch-black for the nose. Of course, her palanquin had the symbol of the Gatherers as well, so why would such a prestigious knight do such a thing...? There was much less to say about the last knight, she was of average height and her palanquin was yellow. Though the palanquin in question looked a little charred, with black markings around it. Of course, the palanquins they all wore were soaked due to the rain, causing the colours to darken slightly in the same effect._

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Ran thought for a moment, strategising inside her head on a method to tackle this formation. Taking a few seconds, she then opened her eyes and bellowed in a commanding voice:

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"The three of you, stay on your mounts and deal with the two sword knights. They shouldn't be able to reach you with those blades. I'll deal with the other two myself so don't concern yourselves with me."

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Ran asserted herself by priming her lance straight ahead for the knights.

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"Yes Ma'am!!!"

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The three other riders resounded in reply, splitting themselves up and out of formation to their assigned tasks. 

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_Let's just hope they're not too aggressive. After all, capturing such high priority knights would prove to be a heavy wound for Hoshi's morale. And if they concede, we can finally take their land. Wouldn't want a prisoner with a gaping hole, would you?_

* * *

Crap!!! They know what we're up to-!!!

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The worrying realisation dawned on Arisa that the enemy had gotten into their heads. If the enemy knew their strategy, then what's next...? Everything would fall apart like a biscuit in water, crumbling away instantaneously. 

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**"Warriors of Hoshi, surrender yourselves immediately!!!!"**

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The leading rider roared once more at Arisa, further asserting her dominance on the battlefield. To be honest, Arisa did feel quite afraid. She could feel her chest tingle, heart skipping just the slightest of beats. However, Arisa knew, this was merely an intimidation tactic. If she stood her ground, nothing bad would happen, right? Hopefully...

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_Right- She's coming at quite a fast speed!!! At this rate, we're gonna clash in-_

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**"HAAAAAHHHH!!!!!"**

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Before Arisa could finish her thought process, the leading knight charged at her and Rimi with a huge force, thrusting her lance right towards the middle of Arisa's breastplate. Having quick reactions, Arisa swiftly stepped to the right to dodge the attack, while she eyed the girl on her right.

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"Rimi, now!!!"

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The girl named Rimi then swung her mace at the direction of the horse's legs, successfully hitting it and dismounting the rider. Intriguingly, Rimi’s face showed a slight wave of dismay. Was it due to the incapacitation of the mount? Arisa did not have time to ponder, as the mounted knight seemingly expected this maneuver had lurched herself forwards, ditching her lance to the side and landing on the ground, performing a frontward-roll to break her fall. Arisa then back-stepped along with Rimi to create a distance, while the dismounted knight recovered and drew her sword. 

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_The Scarlet style of combat focuses on constant aggressive attacks to falter the opponent's posture, then striking with deadly force when the opponent is staggered. The usual method of this is to use flowing movements and strikes, never halting in their offensive techniques until the very last slash. Although, one glaring weakness of this style is the clear lack of proper defence. Practitioners of the Scarlet style don't necessarily rely on blocks or dodges to fend off counterattacks, but rather riposting or parrying any incoming blows to ensure maximum aggression. Therefore, I think if I keep my distance from this knight, I should be able to tire her out. And when that happens... I'll strike her using a thrust, and hopefully, disarm her._

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Nodding to herself, Arisa felt a sort of pride when she figured out her opponent’s strategy, hoping to even out the advantage that her foe had gained via Arisa's quite lackluster formation. Arisa prayed internally that her evaluation was not wrong as the Scarlet knight took up a high stance with her weapon.

Alright... In three, two, one...

* * *

**"Orryahhh!!!"**

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_From the high guard, I guided my sword down a diagonal angle to the right, attempting to push the spear wielder's weapon downwards to eliminate her from the fight. Unfortunately, the opposing knight seemed to recognise this move, backstepping in response to avoid my attack. This was when I realised that the mace-wilder had raised her weapon high, preparing herself for a downward strike to stun me. Knowing this technique, I quickly took a few steps behind as she swung her mace, dodging what seemed to be a decisive strike. And I was quite right, as the petite knights looked exhausted after that one strike, retreating to the spear wielder's rear. This was very unexpected, to say the least. How could an elite knight be taken out of the fight by a simple strike, by her own volition? Has the quality of Hoshi's knights stagnated so much that this has become the cream of their crop? This is honestly... quite pitiful. Anyhow, the spear knight took around two more steps backward, before sliding her forehand to the bottom of her spear. From what I remember, this stance signifies a long thrust attack in a certain direction. Following that thrust, the attacker will then slice up or downwards depending on the positioning of the opponent. In preparation for this move, I took a step to the right, placing my hind leg in a slight diagonal bend to perform a counter maneuver in the case of a low-stab._

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_And I was right in my assumptions. The knight winded her spear backward and then thrust with great speed to the left side of my head. Thankfully, my intuition of sorts allowed me to have the foresight to see this coming. And just as I thought, she took a swing to my current position, but at this point, I've already seen her actions in my head. I took a larger step to the right, nearly reaching the flank of the knight, However, I did not plan to attack her flank. Instead, I used my hind left to stomp on the end of the spear's handle, driving the blade into the ground and making sure to bury it deep._

_._

"U-Urkk!!!"

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_The knight exclaimed in frustration, with her face clearly showing anger. Using her moment of hesitation to my advantage, I did a quick wind up to bring my sword next to my head from the right, before slashing downwards to the knight's forearms..._

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**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Arisa's blood-curdling screams of pain resounded, as Ran's blade sliced through her forearms cleanly, separating them from the rest of her body. Blood immediately gushed out of the wound as Arisa's eyes widened in reaction to the pain, pupils shrinking as she stepped back to assess the damage. 

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"Ah... A-A-Ahh...-!!!"

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Stuttering in her voice, Arisa took a good look at the stubs that were now her arms, blood oozing out of the wound, dripping like honey. The flesh within the newly-formed cut looked as if it pulsated. It was only a matter of seconds before Arisa's head felt extremely heavy, like a weight being put on a balloon. Dizziness overcame Arisa as she lost her balance and collapsed onto the muddy ground face-first. 

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"A-Arisa-!!!!"

* * *

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"Moca-chan's a wise tattle, knowing _many many_ things about the world. And one thing Moca-chan knows is about your _little sister~_."

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A grey-haired woman in dirty brown robes taps her fingers on the cold and bumpy ground. She raised her head in a slow but steady fashion, eyes panning upward to the knight in front of her cell. She smirks lightly, crawling from her position to the rusty iron bars caging her within this decrepit cell. She proceeded to push her face onto the bars, making it seem like she was mischievously peeking through.

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**"So, let's talk about it, _To~mo~chin~!_ "**

* * *


	4. Rat, Guard And Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those who have read up to this point.  
> .  
>  I've added character names above parts of the story to indicate who's perspective the part is from. I hope this reduces some confusion.   
> .  
> This chapter has some exposition to it, but I promise it will pay off in the future  
> .  
> Do enjoy.

* * *

**Moca**

"..."

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_Oh? What's wrong Tomo-chin? Cat gotcha tongue? How has the Scarlet military warped the tough punk known as Tomoe Udagawa into this mindless mute soldier? What **methods** did they employ to break your roaring spirit? What a pity, to think that the great tavern brawler Tomoe would be reduced to a hollow shell of her former self. But that is alright. Humans always go back on their oaths, and there are always weaknesses no matter how much you refine a method. **So let's try to exploit this weakness, shall we~**_

_._

_._

_._

_._

"Y'know, Moca-chan truly feels sorry for what she did to Ako-chin. I confess that I was the one who requested her to enter the horrid demon's labyrinth. I... I just wanted her to grow up as an adventurous person... Moca-chan did not know of the consequences..."

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Moca lowered her face in shame, eyes trembling as if they were going to burst with tears. Biting her lip, Moca sniffles and stifles her tears, collapsing her legs into a cross-legged position, holding her head in her hands.

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"Moca-chan did not know the demon was awake, she thought it was asleep... Moca-chan feels so... so _ashamed_ that she caused the little Ako-chin to be **taken** by the villainous demon."

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"...Tch..."

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Demons. Vile, evil, and disgusting creatures. They can take up many different forms, usually becoming manifests of our greatest fears. Their only purpose in the world is to devour all living life, destroying our way of living and cause an insurrection to foster an uprising of the many more vile beasts of the deep. Demons not only devour and destroy but also lead unknowing creatures astray, like a false shepherd leading an innocent lamb. These poor souls who have been led on the wrong path will become mindless servants of Demons, committing atrocities in the name of their new-found master.

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What's worse is that these unholy powers are those of Lower-Demons, and god only knows what vicious powers Higher-Demons may possess. Many scholars and historians have attempted to pinpoint the origin of the devilish fiends, but their work was all for nought. Some theories claim that Demons are actually servants of the Rega, the God of Death. He created them in an effort to increase the population in the underworld, so that one day he may amass an army large enough to overthrow the gods. However, this theory goes off the basis that this tall tale is true, which none can prove.

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Due to the widespread knowledge of Demons, many Bards have begun to spin stories of how treacherous the Demon race can be. These tales are based somewhat in fact, with lies and half-truths dripping in to flavour the story. One of these tales is the Tragedy of Loria and Lothica. In this story, Loria was a brave knight of an unknown country, having a righteous heart and noble soul, fighting for the safety of her nation. Lothica, on the other hand, was the younger sister of Loria. She was a cripple at birth but was also born with a talent for magic. One day, Loria was tasked with slaying a Higher-Demon. Being the noble knight that she was, Loria faithfully followed her orders, slaying the beast with ease. All was well, until the day that Loria went **mad.** The Higher-Demon had cursed Loria, warping her righteous and noble mind into gluttony for power. Seeing this unfortunate event occur to her dear sister, Lothica decided to start learning the dark arts, in the hopes of one day curing her sister of her ailment.

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_Tomo-chin knows these stories very well. After all, Mother Flora told this as a sort of crude bedtime story back in the orphanage. I still don't know why she tried to scare us at such a young age but at this point, Moca-chan no longer cares. The only thing Moca-chan cares about now is... A good conversation with Tomo-chin._

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"...Tomo-chin...? Do you believe this poor little hag...? No... Do you believe your... Dear childhood friend Moca Aoba...?"

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Moca began to tear up, her face looking as if she had just lost a dear friend. Well... In a way Moca did. Tomoe Udagawa was a brave child, it was as if she was an honourable knight stuck in a youngling's body. She was the stereotypical fearless child of the group, stomping on insects and vermin while protecting her friends from bullies. Many caretakers in the orphanage thought Tomoe would be a good knight, so did Tomoe herself. After all, children of the orphanage would be sold to the highest bidder when of age. So, why not sell her to the military? After all, the war has cost them the lives of countless soldiers, therefore they constantly seek fresh sources for recruitment.

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And what soldier would be better than a gullible child, easily influenced by those around them? Thus was the thought of the military. Being the child that she was, Tomoe fervently accepted her fate, perhaps due to the praises that she was raised around. It was probably the first big decision Tomoe made in her life but was unfortunately also her last. Not many know what happened to Tomoe after she was posted to the military, but the after-effect could provide some clues to those who have a keen eye.

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"..."

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Tomoe's face was unchanging. Blank and still as stone. She stared at the wooden door in front of her, unmoving. It was as if Tomoe was frozen in time, or glued to the ground like a tree. Knowing this, Moca sighed once again, giving up on her fruitless attempts of conversation. She then removed her grubby face from the rusty bars, retiring to her straw bed. Moca then lied down on her bed, lying on her right shoulder as her frontal body faced the jail's bars. Although Moca knew that lying on her shoulders would not be healthy for her, she could not care less about the effects.

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Maybe it was because of her fate after she left the orphanage. Dumped on the streets of Scarlet's many towns, Moca was forced to learn how to survive on the streets, using purely her wits. Because of this, Moca became a thief, a sort of Robinhood in her work. Stealing from the rich, and selling her loot to the poor. Well, Robinhood was quite the loose term to use. Due to her actions, Moca herself became a target of other 'Robinhoods' of the poor, either stealing from her hideout or assassinating her to eliminate competition. Despite the many people hunting for her back, Moca never halted her laid-back behaviour, only ever looking to one direction, forward.

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_Hmmmmm... Looks like Tomo-chin doesn't want to talk, what a pity. Moca-chan wanted a companion to accompany her in this cold decrepit cell. No matter, Moca-chan's sure she'll have her wish granted eventually. By hook, or by crook~_

* * *

**???**

"Mother Thrush, the nuns have brought back an unconscious woman."

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A woman in a black and white nun garb informed a figure, who had their back turned, facing a painting. The painting was made using an unknown form of paint, forming a figure in white holding a Sasanqua Camellia. The benevolent figure cradled the Sasanqua with a motherly hold, staring downwards at it as if it were admiring the flower. The observer in white then tilted her head down, then rotating herself to face the black-clad nun.

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"Sister Maria, I've told you before not to disturb me when I'm praying, have I not?"

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The woman in white had a veil covering her face, being translucent enough to roughly gauge the shape yet opaque enough to obscure her eyes and hair. The woman takes a few steps down the stairs, pacing towards the robed nun. Upon reaching her location, the woman in white rubbed her chin using her right hand, musing in thought.

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"No matter, who is this guest that we've been so graciously blessed with? I hope you've prepared a room for her to stay in." 

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The veiled woman spoke in a motherly tone, deep in voice yet calming like the wind. The nun bit her lip, retorting in her steps before replying the woman in white in an anxious tone.

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"B-But Mother Thrush, this woman is from Hoshi! Surely Saint Camellia would be disgusted by such vile creatures..."

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In response, the veiled woman sighed deeply, shaking her cloaked head in disbelief.

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"Then you have misinterpreted Saint Camellia's teachings, Sister Maria. She never told us to discriminate against our enemies. Rather, Saint Camellia has only ever taught us to treat our enemies as we would want to be treated."

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Hearing this, the nun gulped, before returning to her former position.

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"Apologies, Mother Thrush. Our guest is actually... Unconscious, as we speak. The nurses are currently taking care of her in the infirmary."

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The veiled woman had her curiosity piqued, having a cautious thought at the situation.

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"Ah, I see. Well then, I shall visit her as soon as she awakens."

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**Kasumi**

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**_This isn't... Our tent..._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some context on the inspirations in this chapter  
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> The tale of Loria and Lothica is inspired by the story of the Twin Princes in Dark Souls 3. Do check it out, its quite a good game with solid storytelling.   
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> A Thrush is a species of songbird, and this name will hint to the identity of the veiled woman.   
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> Thank you for following the story up to this point, and I hope to see you again in the next chapter. :D


	5. Greetings, Our Prophet

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** Kasumi **

_I found myself lying on a bed, staring up to a white wooden ceiling. The ceiling's wood looked quite old, but it was still clean. It was well kept, but I should expect this from... Where... Was I again...? I tried to boost myself up using my hands before I realised that whatever I was pushing was... Very soft. I know it was a bed but... It was like no other I've rested on before. The sheets felt smooth, like paper. The softness of the mattress felt angelic. I took a moment to evaluate this but came up with nothing, so I chose to continue my effort to sit up. Luckily, I managed to push my body up despite my current state, being able to observe my surroundings._

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_The first thing I noticed was... My lack of armour. I wasn't bare-naked but instead in white robes, stretching down to my knees. I then felt... Quite uncertain. Who... Got to me? The last thing I remembered was falling asleep on the way to Scarlet, and it was raining quite heavily. Before I was knocked completely unconscious, I remember falling into Arisa's arms, and she told me that it was going to be... All ok... Arisa... G-Gosh- I should be getting a bearing- Anyhow, I swiveled my head around the room to look for any clues of my location, then noticing a door on my far right. The door was made of wood too, this time being light brown. It had metal rivets around the border of the door, looking a tad bit rusty._

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_Turning to my left, I found a bedstand with a metal tray on it. The tray contained various bottles, filled with liquids I barely understood anything about. With this information, I should be able to assume that I'm currently in an infirmary of sorts, but I still don't know where. A bigger question was... Where are the others...? Arisa, Saaya, O-Tae, and Rimi... I can't find any of them. Arisa... She must be scouring the area to find me, won't she? Heheheh... Arisa's a little cute when she worries about me. But, I shouldn't be thinking of that now, should I? I should... Focus on getting myself a proper bearing._

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_I then looked forward, to my direct front. I then found a cupboard. The cupboard was made out of metal, with signs of aging on it via rust. I did not know what the cupboard contains, but I would assume that even more unknown medicines would be contained within. Sighing, I rubbed my pure white blanket, getting a feel of the fabrics as I gave my situation thorough thinking. Alright, so I found myself waking up in a hospital ward or infirmary of some kind, and I can't locate where I am. None of the Gatherers are with me at this moment and my armour's missing. Alright, quite bad but I think this pickle I found myself in might be... Salvageable. However, how exactly do I salvage it...? Knowing where my last known location was, it would be smart to make an educated guess that Im somewhere within Scarlet. But we're at war with Scarlet, aren't we?_

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**...Oh** **no. Could I be... A prisoner of war...?**

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_Oh c'mon, I don't think it would be that bad, right? I mean, O-Tae is the most skilled out of us five. They don't call her the 'Rabbit's Blade' for nothing. She probably defended us from any attack that we may have been a victim of. Arisa's the second best that I know. Her dexterity with her naginata is unparalleled and considering how long that weapon is... She would be fine. Well, I need her to be fine. If not, I would lose hope and..._

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_N-No, don't think of that Kasumi!!! You have to stay positive, right? You **need** to stay positive. If not, your power would bring harm to others. And, I don't want any more nightmares coming to life, for the sake of everyone else._

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While Kasumi was in thought, she did not notice the black-robed nun entering the room, carrying a tray of food in hand. The nun's robe had a white print of a flower on it, flowing down to the waist area. The nun initially froze in her tracts in reaction to Kasumi's awake state, before resetting herself to be more presentable to her guest. Kasumi, on the other hand, was oblivious to the situation at hand. She was still in deep thought on her situation, gripping her bedsheets in frustration over her inability to strategise. 

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"Oh- I see your awake, Miss."

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The nun alerted Kasumu to her presence, pacing towards her with a tray of bread and soup in hand. The bread was in the shape of a baguette, though it was a sliced version of it. The soup was greyish, having floating mushrooms within itself. An aristocrat would call the soup unappetising, however for someone like Kasumi the stale soup was more than enough to appease her appetite. 

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_Ah- I was so concentrated in my thoughts that I- I missed the person's entering. I do not know whether I should be elated or disappointed in myself for being so deeply in thought, but that would be something to think about for another time. Anyways, the nun placed the tray of food on a table next to the metal cupboard, before approaching me. Considering that it was a nun tending to me, it would be safe to assume that I'm currently residing within a church of some kind. The next question would be whether or not this is a military-controlled church or not. That statement may seem quite weird at first, but it would make sense if the church was controlled by the military in Scarlet. After all, the military controls **everything** , according to what I've heard. _

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"Uhm, excuse me, where... am I...?"

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Kasumi cautiously queried the nun, staying tucked within her sheets as a sort of primal instinct to protect herself, though the effectiveness was questionable. The nun in response, stepped back, before greeting Kasumi with a warm smile, looking like a sunray shining upon Kasumi.

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"Ah- Apologies for my intrusion. My name is Maria, and you are currently inside the Church of Mother Camellia. Well, the infirmary, that is."

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_Church of... Mother Camellia? I have... No idea what that is. The briefings that we went through did not specify any church of this sort. From what I remember, there was the Church of Rosso, Church of Geed, and... I forgot what were the rest. Although I don't think that this info would be useful right now, considering that this entirely new church is unknown to Hoshi's intel. No matter, this nun's garb looked quite well-worn, with the robe being creaseless, flowing downwards with ease. She genuinely looked and felt like a nun, a far cry from the militaristic nuns that most Scarlet churches possess. Instead of a bumpy and gloomy face of a war-torn fighter, this nun had smooth skin, mimicking the likeness of a doll. It is quite a refreshing feeling, seeing a purified nun in Scarlet. Getting myself out of my thoughts once again, I relaxed from my tensed position, releasing my airtight grip on the bedsheets. I then formed my face into a light grin, relieved at a sort of safety._

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"Miss, if it does not trouble you, would it be alright if our Mother meets with you? She has expressed a curious interest in you. Please allow yourself to be blessed with her."

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_**"Don't. This will only bring you harm."** _

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"Sure... There should not be any harm in that..."

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_**"Don't. For the sake of both of us, DO NOT accept the request."** _

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_What harm... could this bring?_

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**_"Prophet, we beg of you..."_ **

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** Arisa **

_K-Kasumi... Where are you...? Please, don't leave me..._

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_The pain of being separated from your lover is... Shattering, isn't it? I've... Never been separated from her... In my life... But now, what should I do? Moreover, all I can see is black around me, like my consciousness exists... Outside... And my arms-!!! I made a glance at the arms, praying that it was all a bad dream but- N-No... There were stubs in the place of my arms, with skin covering the parts where the sliced originated. It was... Beyond demoralising. To know that my tools to protect my Kasumi are now... Are now gone forever. What should I... Do now? I've sealed my place in Hell, becoming a sinner who was too incompetent to protect her loved ones... I do not deserve a second chance. Yet..._

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"Don't give up on her yet, we're almost there-!!!"

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**_Who was..._ That...?**


	6. Identity

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** Arisa **

_I... Felt nothing at first. There was only the emptiness of the void, the emptiness of my mind. I did not want to think of anything. After all, what would an obsolete protector such as I need to think of? I've lost Kasumi, now I have no purpose. I was... Born to be with her, was I? I hoped so. But now... But now Kasumi is gone. My incompetence caused Kasumi to be captured. Well, it would be the only logical assumption that she was. I began to have flashes of scenarios in my mind, on how I could have done better. I could have trusted my naginata higher. I could have slashed at the knight's head instead of the body. There were so, so many ways I could have done better. But now... I have no chance to be better. I should just... Shut my eyes and... Sleep forever..._

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_But then I... I felt a light whip of brightness graze my face. It was for a split second, but I felt as though it had a weight to it. A weight, lifting me up from the grave like a mother raising their child. I dare say it was angelic, fluffy feathers tickling my cheeks as if rouzing me to awake. Initially, I was not exactly compelled to obey this heavenly feeling. After all, why would a sinner_ _be visited by an angel? I'd guess that this is a demon taking the shape of an angel to deceive me. Thus, I ignored this call to me, assuming it to be a devilish trickery._

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_However... I did hear of tales telling of angels. Angels who decided that a flickering soul shall have another chance, and bring them back from the point of no return, to serve their purpose. But what purpose would I serve? I've already failed my purpose, so why give me another chance? I do not see anything redeemable in myself, and if an angel did... I would... Then doubt my own judgment. Angels are told to be benevolent beings, shaping the world with the decisions they make. Their blessings can turn the tide of a battle, and their alliance is a top priority for a priest. Should a holy warrior have an angel's blessings, they are said to be nigh unbeatable on the battlefield._

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_With that being said, I asked myself again. What... Does an angel see in me? I usually think of myself in a negative light, being pessimistic in nature. I'd blame this on the academy, the air of it being dark and brooding. Angels are said to be all-knowing, so... There may be a quality they see in me that I do not see myself. Knowing that I quickly became accustomed to the idea that I am being accepted by the angel. I proceeded to reach hands, or, stubs I should say, forward. I then shut my eyes, allowing the angel to bathe me in warm white shimmering light. Although my eyes were closed, I could still feel this blinding light through the cracks. It was as I thought. Warm, encompassing, and accepting. Was this... The forgiveness I have been seeking? I hope so. If not, I do not know what I would do next..._

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**_And so I was lifted... Into the blackened sky... And high I shall fly..._ **

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* * *

**Himari**

_She's alive... We... Actually successfully carried out the operation-!!! I... I... I feel so overjoyed that I... Forgot to greet the blonde-haired girl into her waking state. We first found her and her group of three on the outskirts of Scarlet's villages. She was writhing in pain, mainly due to her severed arms. When I saw her, I was... Horrified. Sure, as the leader of the Revolutionary Army, I've seen my fair share of mangled corpses. But this girl... It was as if her soul had left her body, leaving a hollow husk of a person. Initially, I did not know how to feel. Distressed? Panic? Intrigue at her curious condition? Morbid thoughts began to race through my mind. In the end, we managed to bandage her and her comrades' wounds, transporting them to our nearest medical station._

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_There, we put the four into patient beds, treating their wounds. The wounds on the other three girls were minor, being small cuts or bruises. However, the blonde-haired girl... I still felt pity for her. What did she go through to become this...? A-Anyhow, most doctors present at the station recommended that we just leave her be. But... There was one particular doctor who suggested that we test out our... 'New technology'. You see, a group of researchers within the Resistance created a sort of replacement for amputated limbs. These were created to ensure that our soldiers will be tougher to take out of the fight. There was a lot of science that went into it that I had trouble understanding, though I do not really care if I understood it or not. All I cared about was its ability to replace a limb._

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_So, why not test this new invention out on this unsuspecting girl? That line was... Pretty psychotic, isn't it. But that was what the doctor thought of at the time, and so did I. After all, we have already gathered the materials to produce it in mass, and all we need is one successful testing session to make sure that it works? As psychotic as it sounded at the time, I shared the same sentiment with the doctor. So... We brought the girl while she was still unconscious in an operating room._

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_Well, the 'Operating Room' is quite an overrated term. Instead of the full-painted white rooms that you would expect in a typical medical facility. In reality, this room was more of a glorified patient dorm. Instead of walls which are as polished as pearly teeth, they were brown, scratch marks all over it. The origin of these marks was unknown, and I feel a little terrified to ask why. One the other hand, the operating table was made out of metal, brown rust all over the top of the table where the patient lies. In short, this room was a shell of an operating room. Quite unfortunate, really. As the leader of the Resistance, I would want my soldiers to have as many creature comforts as possible. After all, a soldier's motivation is found in their comforts, right? And their motivation means that they will work harder, and we would reach our eventual goal..._

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_And much to my amazement, the surgery was a success. Nigh, it was a great success!!! As the doctors took a few paces back from the operating table, I took steps forward to observe the girl, hoping for a reaction. And well, she did react. Just not in the way we expected. You would expect a patient waking from asleep to groggily open their eyes, taking their time to adjust themselves to the change of lighting. Thus, this was what I expected too. However, the blonde girl did not wake up like this. Instead she... She woke up in a swift jolt, eyes widening in seemingly unknown shock and face protruding outwards like a gargoyle statue. It was... A shock to me as well. I was taken aback by the sudden reaction, tripping on my own feet and landing bottom-first on the cold stone floor._

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_Ahhhhh-!!! That hurt!!! We should probably try to change the flooring after this... A-Anyhow-!!! Back to the girl. From my angle on the floor, I could not catch her facial expressions. But I had an innate feeling that I had a lot of explaining to do. I then swiftly recovered myself, boosting my body off the ground using the palms and back into a standing position. There I could finally interpret the blonde girl's facial expression. At first glance, she had a look of pure undeniable shock bore on her face, not knowing what to say or do at the current situation. I, for one, do empathise with her current predicament. With my situation being the inevitable explanation to the girl. However, upon taking a closer inspection of her face, I noticed that the girl's eyes were... Odd. Odd as in... They did not look like they belonged to a human being. Her pupils were pure white, having an angelic and gentle feel to it. It was almost enchanting to look at it, pulling you in closer and closer. Meanwhile, the blonde's irises were coloured in a mix of gold and yellow, shimmering even brighter than her white pupils. It had a certain sparkle to it, looking as if it was a rejuvenation of sorts._

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_But... Before I was able to react to it, her eyes were gone as soon as they appeared. It was as if her eye colouring was a hallucination, and rubbing my eyes was the key to getting rid of it. Soon enough, her pupils were turned into a light hue of brown, replacing the white if it was never there. This was... A little terrifying, to say the least. What if this girl was... An agent sent by the army to rat us out? That was a consideration, but I did not feel any hostility come from this girl at all-!!! But before I could react to the sudden turn of events, the blonde girl spoke._

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"M-M... My arms... I..."

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_As she spoke, her head bent down to take a look at her newly attached arms. Her new arms consisted of mostly steel, with a hollow interior past the wrist area. Within the hollowness housed a drill-like object protruding from the wrists and attaching itself within the subject. There were many nuances to the design, but only the doctors know how it truly works. Instead of focusing on the arms, I focused my attention on the girl, who's voiced was filled to the brim with confusion regarding her situation._

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"Y-Yes-!!! We... Found you in the forest without arms, you were bleeding out pretty badly so... We brought you in to patch you up. Im... Himari by the way, Leader of the Resistance."

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_I proceeded to introduce myself to her in an attempt to ease her nerves, which was quite successful._

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"Resistance...? You mean, the Resistance against Scarlet's monarchy, right? I-Im Arisa Ichigaya, a knight from Hoshi. Im... Pleased to be acquainted with you."

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_Ahhh, what a relief. From what I could gather, this girl named Arisa was from Hoshi. Heck, she was a knight, explaining her choice of clothing and equipment around her. She even spoke like a knight, refined, and respectful to their audience. It was... An admirable trait that I try to imitate. But enough about me, back to this knight girl. After introducing herself, Arisa ran her metallic arms onto each other, giving off the impression that she was giving them a feel. She wriggled her fingers, creating a small metallic screech sound every time they moved. Arisa then showed a face with a mixture of confusion and realisation. Odd, considering her current predicament. After this, Arisa intertwined her new arms, closing her palms as if she were shaking her own hands. The metal screeching became significantly louder, like a sword's blade being dragged across a steel plate. I was slightly annoyed by it, but it was alright, considering the amount of combat I go through on a daily basis._

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"These... arms... Th... Thank you... I..."

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_Arisa began to sound emotional, her voice being slightly shaking as she thanked me. Of course, you'd expect someone that got a sort of second chance at life to be thankful in a profuse manner, but the shaking in Arisa's voice was... Different. It sounded more than a thank you. As if this second chance was bringing her out of something unforgivable... But, Im likely just overthinking it, right?_

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** Kasumi **

_Mother... Thrush... Just **who are you?**_

* * *


	7. Lost Bonds

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**Kasumi**

"Who exactly... Are you?"

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_The room I found myself in was quite large, about the size of a ballroom. The walls were milky marble, shiny enough to reflect the faintest of glows into rays of bright sunshine. The flooring was made out of the same material, turning into a mirror of sorts. As I strode towards the centre of the room, I rotated my head left and right, observing my surroundings. Filling this marble room were rows and rows of wooden chairs. Each chair was built upright, with the backrest standing straight up like a sword. I could tell that these chairs were built for a classroom, making the backrest as upright as possible to focus the user's attention to a certain point. Considering the size of this room, you would expect about twenty chairs per row. But... That was not true. When I looked at the rows, the chairs seemingly went on endlessly, with a pale-white fog blocking my vision from seeing the end. Pushing forward, I trekked onward to the centre, with no end in sight for the number of rows of chairs there were._

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_Once I got closer, I could see the outline of something in front of me. The distance between me and the object was not close, yet not far enough to eliminate it from my vision. The object in question was rectangular-shaped, around six metres long, and 3 metres high. From my perspective, I could not tell it's width, but I could tell that it was quite thick. Behind this table was a pot of flowers, having the number of flowers within it quite generous. The shapes of the flower's petals made them quite recognisable. The petals were pointed upwards, curving outward from the centre of the flower, creating a bowl. From this glance, I could tell that these flowers were lotuses. This was odd, as lotuses hail from the kingdom of Yurashi. A kingdom entrenched and consumed by sin, or so everyone says it is. Yurashi and Scarlet were bitter enemies, most if not everyone knew this fact. Their conflict spans millennia, generations upon generations of rulers clashing swords and spilling blood, all in the name of their pride._

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_The closer I got, the more I could see. Now, the rectangular table has engravings on it, written in some form of an ancient language that I could not understand. The writings were chiseled into the stone slab, wrapping itself around the entire table. From my perspective, it looked like the stone the table was made out of was quite bumpy and rocky, clearly eroded over years of exposure to the elements. Elements... This got me to take notice of a strange reflectiveness on top of the slab. What was it exactly? I squinted my eyes, imagining it was a pair of binoculars, to find that the mysterious liquid was... not reflecting its surroundings. Instead of emulating the misty and thick air of the room, the liquid was reflecting a brown ceiling, likely the browns of well-carved wood. Why was it doing this? I know whatever realm or place I am in is definitely abnormal, considering the misty airs and everlasting rows of chairs._

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_I finally got to quench my questions when I reached the front of the table. I stood about five steps away from the eroded slab of stone, spending a few seconds to take it all in. The eldritch, otherworldly properties of the table on full display. The reflecting liquids, the blooming lotuses, they were all right in front of me, but I still could not understand a thing. Why? Why do I, the proclaimed 'prophet' not understand this? Im supposed to know spells and hexes that no other person learned, have the knowledge of a library's worth of books, have the dexterity to wield and master any weapon I come across. Yet I... I am the equivalent of a discarded skin, not needed for it is outgrown. This is not the first time I told myself this, and it will surely not be the last. No matter how many times everyone tells me that I am the most amazing person they have met, I know internally that I am..._

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_I am... No, I must fight on, I have to fight on, to fulfill everyone's wishes, right? Everyone wants their wishes to come true, like dreams being realised into reality. They want to feel the euphoric sense of satisfaction of a miracle brought upon them, to have their worries be washed away by the current of blessings. Yes, I must fight for that. Fight for this dream to become a reality. at least this was what Arisa told me whenever I was feeling down._

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_Taking in a deep breath, I placed my right palm onto the surface of the slab, avoiding the puddles of liquid to make sure whatever spell or property it was afflicted with did not affect me. The moment my palm touched the top of the slab, I heard the chirping of a bird. The chirps were melodious in a way, creating a tune that could soothe worn hearts. I looked up to find the source of this fine-tune, to find a brown sparrow fluttering above the table, descending and perching itself onto the back of my palm. The bird then began to chirp a tune. This tune was... Odd. It was so nostalgic that it brought hot tears to my eyes, yet I could not recall what it was. Was this tune a lullaby? Its calming hum made me think of this, as it continued to resonate out into the room._

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_I was so entranced by the tune that the passage of time was foreign to me, and before I knew it, I found the room I was in becoming significantly darker. The blistering and shining sunset, being replaced with the gentle yet ominous rays of moonlight. The chamber reflected this change, shifting its ethereal hues into pale blue._

_._

"Are you... Really her?"

.

_By this time, I realised something. This bird... It represented something. Symbolism? Most likely. But, how can a bird be aware of such things? Unless... Someone was using possession. Possession is quite an advanced technique that is taught to mages in the army, being used specifically for reconnaissance only. Usually, mages can possess lesser animals such as rats or fishes, or in this case a bird. Never before has a mage possessed another human being, for the risks prove too great to handle. Should they try, they would face a high likelihood of death. How do they die, exactly? I have no idea, nor the intent to discover._

_._

.

_As I was pondering my thoughts, the bird opened its wings, revealing feathers as brown as leather. They were soft and fluffy, like pillows and quills. The bird fluttered, its feathers began to fall off the wings in a manner to windfalls. It looked... Solem. The eyes were tilted downwards, portraying a sad face. It then chirped once again, but the tune was in a minor tone._

_._

"What's wrong...? Is there anything that I can help you with?"

.

_I asked the bird what was troubling it, expecting a reply of sorts. And to my gratitude, the bird did reply me, but not in the way I expected. The bird took a step forward with its tiny feet, then bobbed its head up and down. What was it signaling? My... hand...? It looked as if the bird was calling out to me to stretch out my hand, which I promptly did. The bird then stepped onto the back of my palm, its sharp and sturdy legs scratching my armour, making small creaking noises. I brought my arm closer to my face, to the point that the bird was just a few centimetres away from my face. The bird then moved closer... And closer... Until it..._

_._

.

_It placed its beak onto my forehead, then flew right into me, as if I were a ghost, devoid of any form. Initially, I felt pain, acute pain. As if my head was being split open by a greatsword, and beaten to shreds by stomping. The pain was so great that it caused me to lose balance, legs turning into fabric as it gave way to my fall. My head felt like feathers, as it tilted back and my consciousness faded away..._

.

.

.

.

* * *

 ** Thrush  
** _This is certainly something that I have not seen in quite a while. A person with this much potential would be considered once in a millennium. The way that she was able to interpret and manipulate herself in the dreamscape that I created. Of course, I myself have trained as a mage for most of my life, witnessing feats of power and skill that no normal being would be able to see. But this woman... She was not even a mage. From what I found out from reading her mind, she was simply a high-ranking member of Hoshi's army. Nothing indicated training as a mage, nor a background in the arts of magic. So why exactly was her potential so high? I could only ponder this question, as I took in a deep breath and sighed._

_._

_._

_As I stood back up from my kneeling position, I took a gaze at the girl. Her sleeping form was quite peaceful, chest rising up and down steadily. She was wearing a plain beige tunic that the Church provided her_ with, _fitting her body almost perfectly. Just who was she? Well, at least I know her name, Kasumi. But who really is this Kasumi? The already present mystery of her potential only served to elude any answers. The best that I can do is wait for her to awaken again, making it possible for me to converse with her._

_._

_._

_As I walked towards the room's exit, the wooden door in front of me opened outwards, revealing a short-haired woman with a red streak in her black hair, wearing a crimson red and grey cloth-top, with the design of a blood droplet with golden roots extending from it. Her pants were made of cow leather and cloth, having metal buttons to hold together the cloth and leather. Such an outfit would be reminiscent of an outsider knight, in particular a leader. So this person could only be..._

_._

"Ran-chan, it certainly has been a while."

.

"It... Certainly has, Tsugumi."

.

 _Ran Mitake._ _Leader of the Outrider Knights. Fearsome warrior of Scarlet, and my dear childhood friend._

_._

"Im very happy that you chose to visit today, it has got quite lonely in the church, believe it or not."

.

_I took a few steps back into the room, inviting Ran-chan to come in. She stepped into the wooden room, eyes scanning for anything of interest, before pointing out the sleeping patient that was present._

_._

Tsugumi... Is that...-"

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"The person that your soldiers brought back? Why, yes it is. I put her to sleep to look into her head, only to find nothing of use."

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_That was clearly a lie. Her mind contained mountains worth of information about Hoshi's army and secrets. But... I did not want to reveal them to Ran-chan. Knowing her, she would most likely leak them to her subordinates and superiors. Should that happen, I would indirectly cause an invasion and downfall of a kingdom, which would be a disgrace to Mother Camellia's teachings of peace. It's not like I have not done these acts before. In the past, I have hidden information that I extracted from the minds of prisoners of war. Of course, lying would obviously be a sin in the eyes of nearly everyone, including Mother Camellia. But I'd like to think that she would forgive such grave acts should it stop bloodshed from occurring._

_._

"Nothing useful? Well, that's a shame. I thought we might have hit gold for this one."

.

_Ran-chan's voice had a hint of disappointment in it. I wish that was able to tell her the truth, but the risks would be too high. It pains my heart every time I had to do this, but it is for the greater good. Ran heaved a sigh of dismay, before pacing towards a window within the room. She took a good look out of the window, taking in a breath of fresh air._

_._

"Tomoe was assigned to guard the dungeons, meaning she's forced to interact with Moca daily."

.

_Tomoe and Moca. The moment Ran-chan mentioned their names, I inhaled sharply. What occurred between those two... It tore us apart. Till today, Tomoe-chan has not forgiven Moca-chan for what she had done, and for good reason. The hate and anger that emitted from Tomoe-chan on that day... Was something that I will never be able to forget._

_._

"...Is it really that bad? Surely Tomoe-chan would have f-forgiven Moca-chan by n-"

.

_That was an idiotic thing to say, Tsugumi. I tried to lighten the conversation with this suggestion, but it only served to heat the tension. Ran-chan gritted her teeth, clenching her steel-wrapped fists in spite._

_._

"Forgiven? Are you mad, Tsugumi? What Moca did to Ako was plain **disgusting**. Morally **repulsive**. No sane human being would ever do something like that. What Tomoe experienced that day..."

.

_Ran-chan's eyes seethed with spite, grimacing at the mere mention of the event. I can empathise with her pain as well, but I do not understand why does she emanate such emotions. I should never have brought this up. I wanted to mend and close the wounds of the past but I ended up pouring salt into it._

_._

"I... Of course, I do feel vexed towards Moca-chan for committing such an act, but it has been a long time since then. Im sure that the emotions would have subsi-"

.

_I was cut off once again by Ran-chan, who reached forward and grabbed me by the collar of my robes. She used brute force to pull me towards her, while I was hopelessly dragged along, unable to resist such ferocious might._

_._

"Listen up, Tsugumi. You already know Moca and I shared a very special bond during our childhood, but even I threw that away to condemn her for her actions. Take that as an example. An example that nobody can be completely trusted, even the ones closest to you."

.

_Ran-chan's eyes were bloodshot, gazing at me with a piercing glare. Her voice was filled with force and irritation as if she had been holding this back for too long. Her grip on me became violent, tugging so hard that I could feel the seams of my robes begin to tear apart like paper. Was this... How she truly felt? How long has Ran-chan held this pain within herself, locking it inside the deepest annals of her soul? It upsets deeply, knowing that I could have helped, but I did not. Was it my choice? I am not sure but... I would regret it if I had chosen to abandon her. Ran-chan finally let go of her claw-like grip on me, pushing me away as she released. She then faced her back towards me, looking out the window once again. She took in quite a few laboured breaths of air before she spoke once again._

_._

"...Moca's going to be publicly executed in three days. The venue will be Margarita Square, at twelve noon. Attend it if you want."

.

_Moca-chan's... Execution? H-Hold up, this cannot be true. Being a thief is a crime, of course, but it does not warrant a public execution! This is not true, this **cannot** be true. What happened to us? What happened to the happy times that we had when we were younger? What happened to... Our friendship..._

_._

_._

_._

_._

* * *


End file.
